EU agreed to German demands to scrap car emissions law

There was a plan for the European Union to require an average of new-car emissions at 95 grams per kilometer in 2020 but the EU environment ministers agreed to Germany’s demands to drop this proposal. Currently, car emissions have to be less than 130/g/km. Germany had reasoned out that reaching for this goal will affect jobs and hurt its premium automakers. Germany has been lobbying for this since several months ago. Last Monday, the ministers from the 28 EU member states agreed to reopen an agreement entered in June, but said they would aim to secure it in weeks instead of in months. The vehicles built by Daimler and BMW are heavier and are not as frugal as those made by volume automakers like Fiat.

This means that it will be difficult for German automakers to comply with more stringent CO2 targets. Last June, the EU governments and the European Parliament had agreed to the 95g/km target. This goal is equivalent to fuel use of 4 liters for every 100km (59 U.S. mpg/71 UK mpg). However, Germany has formed a group of countries that are supportive of its plan to delay the start of the implementation of this emissions cap rule.

The coalition is proposing that the law has to be fully applicable to all new cars in 2024 rather than in 2020. The meeting last Monday of EU environment ministers in Luxembourg permitted Lithuania to begin talks with the European Parliament to alter a preliminary deal made last June. After the meeting, German Environment Minister Peter Altmaier said that all parties made it clear that they are hoping to reach an “ambitious climate-protection goal” but believe that there has to be more flexibility.

He said that a solution is expected in the weeks to come. Countries like the UK and Poland were in support of the change of the draft. The June agreement has the support of ministers from countries that include Belgium, France and Italy. To be enacted, the draft law will have to be approved by both member states and the European Parliament. [source: Reuters]